kindred

Chapter 11 - Etched

"What the fuck is that?"

The room was dead silent. Not one of the three moved. All for different reasons; Addie was scared out of her mind, Thomas was enraged and Elijah was shocked beyond word's. 

Elijah stared down at the little sister he held lovingly in his arm's. Addie watched as her brother's eye's saw red. Their fist's clenched hard, ready to punch something. 

Thomas did just that, he lashed out and pounded the wall. Hard. The wood didn't budge, it was far too thick for a single punch to do any damage. Addie panicked, they would kick her out, spit on her, get rid of her. If that was what he could do to a wall, what would he do to her. Her eyes were painful to look at, they were wide open and held fear that was almost impossible to look at. 

 Unlike Thomas, Elijah was frozen stiff, he couldn't imagine the pain inflicted onto his baby sister, he couldn't move. He didn't even flinch when Thomas pulled her from his grip, tugging her skinny arm's out of his reach. 

Thomas didn't put the girl down, he simply marched out of the room with determination and horror etched onto his face. Adeline was thrust into terror when they left the room. Would he do to her what they had? He was her brother, sure he was scary but he wouldn't really hurt her, would he?

All rationality left her broken body as she began to thrash in his arm's. She kicked at his legs and punched and slapped his back. Her whole body was squirming as she tried to make him drop her, she was shaking her head causing her hair to hit him in the face. She was like a wild child.

"Pleaseee Thomas. Pleaseee" She pleaded with him.  

Her whole world blurred as her heart pounded hard in her head. 

What captured the attention of Elijah was her crying. She was crying for him to help her and for Thomas to let her go. He could clearly hear the panic in her throat. That's when he stopped being a statue and actually went after her little brother.

Adeline understood pretty quickly that they were going in the direction of Harlan's office, her heart rate rose even more. If anyone was scary it was him. 

Her crying immediately garnered Riley and James' attention, they immediately left the kitchen to see their sister. They were completely gobsmacked to see their furious brother carrying a sobbing little girl down the hall toward's their brothers office. 

"Hush Adeline" he said as he swiftly continued his walk, he didn't say anything more, he couldn't. He was so furious that if he said another word he was going to lash out and he didn't want to harm his little sister, however annoying she was.

"Tom put her down" Riley sighed to his twin, completely unaware of the situation. Thomas just ignored them all.

The eldest three of their brother's were shocked when Thomas threw the door open, completely ignoring the rule of knocking. Thankfully only Harlan, Harry and Joe were in there. 

The three men were shocked at what they saw; a furious, red-faced Thomas clutching their squirming sister who had fallen silent but still had silent tear's streaming down her face. A concerned looking Riley and James right behind, lastly Jack entered just as Harlan stood up. 

If Addie wasn't already scared, she was now. These three men could easily squash her, she wouldn't stand a chance. 

"What the hell is going on" Harlan said, he looked angry at the sudden interruption, but as always he remained collected. 

Thomas made no verbal response to his eldest brother, instead striding over to the desk. He shoved items out of the way before he pulled his sister off of him and pushed her front first over the table. Adeline realised what was happening and instead of trying to escape from Thomas she clung to him, hoping no-one else would see it.